LOS ANGELES – Xander Bogaerts didn't have the worst wait for his first hit.

The 20-year-old entered Saturday's 4-2 Red Sox win over the Dodgers as part of a double-switch in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out in the ninth, Bogaerts lined a 2-2 fastball from righty Brandon League to right field for a single.

"I didn't want to wait any longer, so I'm happy and excited I got the first one out of the way," Bogaerts said. "Hopefully the first of many more."

Bogaerts had four big league plate appearances in two games prior to Saturday, so in terms of at-bats, his wait was very short. But the last time he had a hit of any sort was already more than a week ago (Aug. 15 for Pawtucket).

"I really, I just hoped the guy didn't jump and make a superman catch," Bogaerts said of second baseman Jerry Hairston, who left his feet but had no chance. "I'm glad it fell in. Unfortunately I didn't score, but I'm happy I got the first one."

"Better now than next year," Boston manager John Farrell said.

The afternoon game was televised nationally on FOX, so Bogaerts hoped friends back home in Aruba were able to catch a glimpse. His brother, Jair, was at the game, but his mother won't be on hand until the Red Sox return to Fenway Park this week.

"Hopefully a lot of people from Aruba saw it," Bogaerts said.

Bogaerts speaks four languages – English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento – and there was some comical confusion to one question he was asked.

A reporter wanted to know what Bogaerts would do with the ball, meaning the actual ball he hit that was taken out of play for safekeeping. Bogaerts didn't catch on right away, but you could extrapolate from his answer that he's always got one thing on his mind.

"What am I going to do with the ball?" he said. "Hit it."

Once the matter was clarified, Bogaerts said the souvenir was going home with him.

"Bring it back home to my family, put it in a nice room by itself," he said.

Some might find it fitting the knock was fielded on a couple of hops by right fielder Yasiel Puig, a phenom who broke on to the scene in grand fashion.

Bogaerts could play Sunday against West Springfield lefty Chris Capuano, although that's not for sure.

"Maybe tomorrow," Farrell said Saturday morning before the game. "Stephen Drew is swinging the bat well. I think that's – Xander's a very good player, and everything that's been publicized about him (is true). By no means is that to turn away from what Stephen Drew has done for us and the position that he's in."

Bogaerts indicated Saturday he left Pawtucket feeling a little less than fully locked in.

"I'm getting there," he said. "When I got the call from Pawtucket, I was going through a little rough stretch, but after a rough stretch, the good ones come. So hopefully I'm getting into a rhythm now."